Mine passenger car



March 21, 1950 H. F. FLOWERS 2,501,503

NINE PASSENGER CAR Filed Feb. 24, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet l March 21, 1950 H. F. FLOWERS IINE PASSENGER CAR 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 24, 1947 March 21, 1950 H. F. FLOWERS 2,501,503

- IIINE PASSENGER CAR Filed Feb. 24, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 21, 1950 H. F. FLOWERS NINE PASSENGER CAR 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 24, 1947 am 5: 9-7.2 22W Patented Mar. 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MINE IASSENGER CAR Henry Fort Flowers, Findlay, mile Application February 24, 1947, Serial No. 730,586

ll Claims.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in a mine car and more particularly a mine car which is adapted to carry workmen to and from their place of work in a mine.

An object of the invention is to provide a mine car for conveying workmen wherein the body is strong, low of height and has rounded ends to facilitate movement of the car along the winding tunnels of a. mine and wherein the body has a maximum seating capacity for a given interior area.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mine car of the above type wherein the body includes a center sill and side sills and the seats except at the ends of the car are arranged in groups back to back and are mounted on the upper sides of said sills, while the floor plates between the groups are mounted on the under sides of said sills. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a mine car of the above type wherein the body is mounted on axleless trucks disposed beneath the back to back seats.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a mine car of the above type wherein the roof is mounted on girders extending alon the sides of the car and transversely thereof and wherein the girders are in turn supported on posts secured at intervals to the side sills and the center sill of the fioor structure.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective View of a mine car embodying the improvements, said view being taken from the side wherein the workmen or passengers enter the car;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the opposite side of the car;

Figure 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view with the truck supporting plates removed to show in plan the trucks on which the car is mounted and with portions of the cover plates removed to show the construction and arrangement of the draw bar;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the opposite end of the car, said section bein taken above the seats so as to show the arrangement of the seats;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view on the line 5-6 of Figure 4; and

Figure 7 is a side view on an enlarged scale of 55 one of the trucks with the frame broken away to show the manner of supporting the body on the truck with the frame broken away and parts sectioned to show the manner of mounting the body on the truck.

The body of the mine car includes a very strong bottom or underframe structure. Said structure includes a center sill I which is in th form of a relatively deep steel I-beam. This center sill extends longitudinally of the body and terminates short of the ends thereof in order to provide a space for the couplers. At each side of the body is a side sill 2. These side sills are preferably formed from relatively deep c-channel bars. The side sills extend longitu y of the car body and around a portion of each end of the body. Extending across the side sills at the end of the center sill is a heavy steel plate 3. This steel plate is disposed on top of the flanges of the center sill and side sill and is welded thereto. Depending from the inner end of the steel plate 3 is a vertical plate 4 which extends from the side sills to the center sill. At the outer end of the plate 3 is also a vertical plate 5. Extending across the under side of the sills is a steel plate 6. This plate is welded to the under side of the flanges of the side sills and the center sill. It extends all the way from the vertical plate 4 at one end of the car to the vertical plate 4 at the other end of the car. Disposed at intervals along the side sill and in opposed relation are side posts 7, 7. These side posts I, 1 are, as shown, made from two channel bars having their flanges welded together. A single channel bar might be used. There is a center post 8 mounted on the center sill and arranged in transverse alignment with the posts I, l. Extending across the posts I, l and the post 8 is a cross girder 9. These cross girders are shaped so as to be readily welded to the side posts I, I and the center post is also welded to the girder 9. Extending lengthwise of the body at the passenger entrance side thereof is a girder I 0 which is likewise welded vto the posts I, 1 and the cross girder 9. As .shown in Figure 6 there is a girder III at the opposite side of the car body. This may not be necessary when the side opposite the entrance side is completely closed by steel plates.

Mounted on top of the girders 9 and I O are preferably steel plates H forming the roof of the car and on the outer face of the roof is a cover of insulating material I2. The mine car is adapted for carrying passengers through the mine tunnels to their places of work and extending along the tunnel is a. trolley wire. This a trolley wire is preferably arranged along one side 01' the tunnel and it is necessarily quite close to the top of the passenger car moving through the tunnel. The purpose of the insulating cover on top of the roof plates is to prevent any short circuit by contact with the trolley wire.

The side sills 2, 2, as noted above, extend beyond the end of the center sill I and are curved about a center located near the end of the center sill. There is an end frame structure l3 Joining "the ends dirtiie curved sections 2 of the side sills.

Ther is also a strengthening plate Hill which forms a parent this end structure. The plate 5 extends all the way across from one side sill to t e other at the end of the center sill. Exten ing outwardly from this'plate 5 and diverging from each other are plates l4, l4 which form theside members of a housing for the coupler 45. "Extending across these plates l4, l4 and welded thereto are plates I6, it. There is a heavier plate ll welded to the plates l4, l4 at the i'nner ends thereof. There is also a plate i8 extending from one side plate l4 to the other to midway the height thereof which is welded to the plates. There is also a steel bar l9 disposed directly above the plate i8. There is also a strengthening plate I40 which is secured to the plates l4, l4 in the partition 5. This bar ex- .tends through the plate 5 and is split to receive the vertical web of the center sill. This bar is welded to the end portion of the center sill. A pivot pin 20 passes through the bar I 9 and the plate I8. The pivot pin 20 passes through the inner end I5 of the coupler and this serves as a means for joining the coupler to the center sill. while the coupler is free to swing all the way from one side plate l4 to the other side plate [4. The end portions of the side sills are curved about this pivot pin 20. The coupler is of the usual type and further description is not thought necessary.

There are steel plates 2|, 11 extending across the lower portions of the side sills 2, 2 and the end frame i3 and there is a plate 22 spaced above the plate 2! which serves as a support for the coupler. One side of the car body is provided with entrance openings for the passengers but the other side is completely closed. Steel plates 23 are welded to the side sill and either to the roof plates or the girders extending along the tops of the side posts for closing one side of the car. There are also steel plates 24, 24 extending from the sill to the roof plates which close the ends of the car. There are steel plates 25, 25 which close the entrance side of the car and these plates are provided with entrance openings 26. There is a side post I midway between the entrance openings. There is a tube 21 at each edge of the plates terminating at the entrance opening. This tube is on the inside of the plate and is welded not only to the plate but to the side sill and the top girder. The plate is cut away to provide a hand opening 28 so that the passenger can grasp the tube in entering the car or when leaving the car.

There are curved steel plates 29 extending from the sill and end frame to the roof at each end 01' the car. There are windows 30, 30 in each of the end closure plates. There are also jewelled reflectors 3|, 3| arranged in a vertical line between the windows. These reflectors show up brilliantly when contacted by the light from an approaching locomotive.

Directly above the steel plates 3 are seats 32, 32 arranged back to back. These seats may be of anydesiredconstruction but preferably include woodenslats extending across the car body from one side thereof to the other. The seats also include steel plates 35, 33 which are welded to the side posts and the center post and also to the plate 3. On each plate are mounted slats 34 which form the backs of the seats. At each side post between the plates 3, 3 at the ends 01' the car body are seats 35, 35 of similar construction. As shown, the slats are mounted on a steel-plate 36 which extends across from one side of the car to the other. The plates 33 are welded to the side posts and the center post and carry slats 34. The plate 6 forms a floor plate and the space between the plate 4 and the next adjacent seat provides a well 38 for the feet of the passenger.

Mounted on the center sill l is a plate l having depending flanges. This plate extends from the heavy plate on which the truck is mounted at one end of the car to the heavy plate at the other end of the car and serves as a reinforcement of and a part of the center sill. At each end of the car there are seats 39, 39 and 49, 40. These seats include wooden slats secured to the plates Hi. There is a plate 4| associated with each of the seats and these plates 4| carry slats 42 forming the back of the seats. The space between the plates l4, l4 and the plate 5 form a well for the feet of the passengers sitting on the seats at the end 01' the car and across seat in front thereof. By the arrangement of seats stated, a maximum number of passengers may be carrie in the car for a given interior area. By the arrangement of the seats at the top of the sills and the floor plates at the bottom of the sills, the car may be greatly reduced in height without in any way reducing the strength of the car structure.

Attached to the under side of each heavy steel plate 3 is a body supporting member 43. Said body supporting member is provided with a depending sleeve or kingpost 44. The trucks supporting the body include side frame members 45, 45 between which the rail wheels 46. 46 are mounted in tandem. Said wheels are mounted on fixed spindles 41. 41. There are cross plates 48, 48 extending from one side frame to the other of the truck and these cross plates form a support for the body of the car. Disposed within the cross plates 48 is a supporting gimbal 49 which carries a sleeve 50 which makes telescoping engagement with the kingpost 44. Disposed within the gimbal 49 is an abutment plate 5|. A relatively light spring 52 bears against said abutment plate at one end and against the plate 3 at the other end. A heavy spring 53 bears against the abutment plate 5! at its lower end and is adapted to engage an upper abutment flange 54 carried by the sleeve 55 which is a part of the body support. The gimbal on its lower face is curved to conform to part of its extent with the lower supporting plate on the truck. The truck supporting plate may shift on the gimbal. This permits the frame carrying the wheels to move about a horizontal axis so that the wheels will follow the up and down curves of the track. The sleeve 50 is free to turn on the kingpost and this permits the truck frame to turn about a vertical axis and follow the lateral curvature of the track.

Associated with each truck is a brake shoe 56 carried by a bracket member 57 pivoted at 58 to the frame structure of the truck. The bracket 53 is connected to a cross link 59 and the cross link 59 is in turn connected to the bracket of the 7 braking mechanism on the opposed truck. The purpose of this cross link It is to cause the trucks to turn together about their vertical axes so as to follow the curvatur of the track. The cross link performs another purpose when it is twisted. This will turn the bracket 51 on its pivot and cause the brake shoe to contact with the wheel or move away from contact. The link 59 is twisted by means of .an arm 60 connected to a link 6| which in turn is connected to a brake actuating lever 82. This brake actuating lever is connected by a link 63 with a hand operated lever 64. Associated with the hand operated lever is a notched locking bar 65. The hand operated lever is yieldable and can be moved into and out of the notches of the locking bar. This hand lever for operating the brakes is located within the car body and adjacent the cross seats at one end of the car. There is a connection between the brake actuating lever and the braking mechanism for the trucks at each end of the car. The specific structure of the trucks and the braking mechanism associated therewith forms no part of the present invention per se, but is shown, described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 670,147, filed May 16, 1946.

From the above it will be noted that a mine passenger car has been provided wherein the body is strong, low of height and has rounded ends to facilitate the movement of the car along the winding tunnels of a mine. The body is made strong by the heavy center sill and side sills and the cross plates which are welded thereto. The side posts and center post, supporting girders on which the roof is mounted, will protect the passengers from any falling rocks in the mine tunnel which might otherwise crush the roof. The closing of one side of the car and providing passenger entrances only on one side thereof protects the passengers from contacting the trolley wire extending along the closed side of the car. The use of axleless trucks for mounting the car body enables the center sill to extend from one end of the car to the other as the trucks are independent of each other except for the cross connecting link which passes through a suitable opening in the center sill. This, together with the arrangement of the seats on plates at the top of the sills and fioor plates at the bottom of the sills, permits the car to be made of low height and especially adapted for use in a mine tunnel. Further more, the arrangement of the seats back to back gives a maximum capacity for seating the workman in a given interior horizontal area.

It is obvious that many changes in the details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A mine passenger car comprising a body having a center sill and side sills, steel plates extending between and connected to the upper side of said sills adjacent the ends thereof, body supports mounted on the under sides of said plates, a truck for each body support, each truck including a frame and wheels arranged in tandem thereon, said frame being connected to said body support so as to turn about a vertical axis and so as to oscillate on a horizontal axis, seats arranged transversely of the body on the upper side of said sills, and floor plates associated with said seats and disposed beneath said sills.

2. A mine passenger car comprising a body having a center sill and side sills, steel plates extending between and connected to the upper side of' said sills adjacent the ends thereof, vertical plates extending between and connected to the sills at the inner side edges of said steel plates, seats arranged transversely of the body on the upper sides of said sills, and floor plates connected to and extending from one vertical plate to the other and disposed beneath the sills, a truck disposed at each side of the car between the center sill and the side sills, and a body support attached to the under side of said steel plate for each truck.

3. A mine passenger car comprising a body having a center sill and side sills extending longitudinally of the body, opposed posts secured to the side sills at spaced intervals, a center post secured to the center sill in transverse alignment with the side posts, a girder connecting said opposed side posts and center post, a girder extending longitudinally of the body at one side thereof and connecting said side posts, a roof supported on said girders, seats arranged on the upper side of said sills, and floor plates associated with the seats and disposed beneath the sills.

4. A mine passenger car comprising a body having a center sill and side sills extending longitudinally of the body, opposed posts secured to the side sills at spaced intervals, a center post secured to the center sill in transverse alignment with the side posts, a girder connecting said opposed side posts and center post, a girder extending longitudinally of the body at one side thereof and connecting said side posts, a roof supported o and connected to said girders, steel plates connected to a side sill and a side girder for closme one side of the car and the ends and steel plates connected to a sill for closing the other side of the car except for openings between the side posts forming entrances to the body, seats arranged on the upper side of said sills, and floor plates associated with said seats and disposed beneath said sills.

5. A mine passenger carcomprising a body having a center sill and side sills extending longitudinally of the body, opposed posts secured to the side sills at spaced intervals, a center post secured to the center sill in transverse alignment with the side posts, a girder connecting said opposed side posts and center post, a girder extending longitudinally of the body at one side thereof and connecting said side posts, a roof supported on and connected to said girders, steel plates connected to a side sill and a side girder for closing one side of the car and the ends and steel plates connected to a side sill for closing the other side of the car except for openings between the side posts forming entrances to the body, seats arranged on the upper side of said sills, and door plates associated with said seats and disposed beneath said sills, said seats being arranged in pairs back to back in alignment with the side posts and center post.

6. A mine passenger car comprising a body having a center sill and side sills extending longitudinally of the body, steel plates extending between and connected to the upper side of said sills adjacent the ends, thereof, body supports mounted on the under side of said plates between the center sill and the side sills. and a truck for each body support, opposed side posts secured to said side sills and steel plates at spaced intervals, center posts secured to said center sill and steel plates in transverse alignment with the side posts, girders connecting said opposed side posts and center posts, a girder extending longitudinally of the body at one side thereof connecting said side posts, a roof supported on and connected to said girders, said roof having a covering of insulating material, steel plates for closing one side of the car and the ends, and steel plates for closing the other side of the car except for openings between the side posts forming entrances to the body, seats arranged on the upper sides of said sills, and door plates associated with the seats and disposed beneath said sills.

7. A mine passenger car comprising a body having a center sill and side sills extending longitudinally of the body, steel plates extending between and connected to the upper side of said sills adjacent the ends thereof, body supports mounted on the under side of said plates between the center sill and the side sills, and a truck for each body support, opposed posts secured to said side sills and steel plates at spaced intervals, center posts secured to said center sill and steel plates in transverse alignment with the side posts, girders connecting said opposed side posts and center posts, a girder extending longitudinally of the a body at one side thereof connecting said side posts, a roof supported on said girders, said roof having a covering of insulating material, steel plates connected to a side sill and a girder for closing one side of the car and the ends, and steel plates for closing the other side of the car except for openings between the side posts forming entrances to the body, seats arranged on the upper sides of said sills, and floor plates associated with the seats and disposed beneath said sills, said seats being arranged in pairs back to back in alignment with the side posts and center posts, and seats arranged at the end of the car and facing inwardly.

8. A mine passenger car comprising a body having a center sill and side sills extending longitudinally of the body, said center sill terminating short of the ends of the car so as to provide a space for a coupler, said side sills extending beyond said center sill at each end of the car body and curved inwardly about a center at the end of the center sill, end frame members. connecting said side sills and having an opening through which the coupler extends, vertical plates extendingfrom the end of the center sill to the ends of the side sills and connected thereto for forming an enclosed housing for the coupler, a coupler disposed in said housing, means for pivotally connecting said coupler to said center sill.

9. A mine passenger car comprising a body having a center sill and side sills extending longitudinally of the body, said center sill terminating short of the ends of the car so as to provide a space for a coupler, said side sills extending beyond'said center sill at each end of the car body and curved inwardly about a center at the end of the center sill, end frame members connecting said side sills and having an opening through which the coupler extends, vertical plates extending from the end 0! the center sill to the ends of the side sills and connected thereto for forming an enclosed housing for the coupler, a. coupler disposed in said housing, steel plates connecting the upper sides of said vertical plates and a steel plate connected to said center sill and projecting beyond the end thereof, and a pivot pin passing through said last named plate and one of said plates connected to the upper sides of said vertical plates for connecting the coupler to the center sill.

10. A mine passenger car comprising a body havinga centensill and side sills, steel plates extending between and connected to the upper side of said sills adjacent each end thereof, body supports mounted on the under sides of said plates, a truck for each body support, each truck including a frame and wheels arranged in tandem thereon, said frame being connected to said body support so as to turn about a vertical axis and so as to oscillate on a horizontal axis, seats arranged transversely of the body on the upper side of said sills, and floor plates associated with said seats and disposed beneath said sills, a braking mechanism associated with said trucks and a hand lever disposed within said body and connected to the braking mechanism for operating the same.

11. A mine passenger car comprising a body, a center sill and side sills extending longitudinally of the body, opposed posts secured to said side sills at spaced intervals, girders connecting said opposed posts, a girder extending longitudinally of the body at one side thereof and connecting said side posts, a roof supported on and connected to said girders, steel plates connected to a side sill and a girder for closing one side of the car and the ends and steel plates for closing the other side of the car except for openings between the side posts forming entrances to the body, and a steel tube connected to and extending from the side sill to the longitudinal girder and disposed at the edges of the plates at each side of said openings, said plates being cut away at the upper ends of the tubes to form a hand hole whereby thetube may be grasped by a person entering or leaving the body.

HENRY FORT FLOWERS.

REFERENCES CITED ,The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 452,741 Weems May 19, 1891 973,366 McKeen Oct. 18, 1910 2,241,377 Clemens May 13, 1941 2,273,256 Flowers Feb. 17, 1942 

